How to Spend the Fourth of July in Chicago

Chicago (Buckingham Fountain)

Chicago is the third-largest city in America, and with that popularity comes plenty of activities during the Fourth of July weekend.

Things You'll Need

• Reservations in the Sears Tower or John Hancock building
• Reservations to Navy Pier boats
• Tickets to the Shedd Aquarium
• Tickets to the Taste of Chicago (With a Safeway card, the Taste tickets can be purchased for a discounted rate.)
• Tickets to the Lakeview Music Fest
• Tickets to the African-Caribbean International festival of Life
• Barbecue grill
• Book(s)

Instructions

1. 

   Contact Navy Pier to take a boat ride or ride your own boat during the Fourth of July fireworks at 9:30 p.m.

2. 

   Sit on the steps by the Buckingham Fountain or around the Grant Park area to see the Taste of Chicago fireworks around 9 p.m.

3. 

   Sightsee. Visit the Sears Tower or the John Hancock building. Admire the skyline, the fireworks, and the stores and restaurants inside of these landmarks.

4. 

   Relax or barbecue by the rocks overlooking Lake Michigan. Feel free to bring music, friends and family to enjoy the fireworks from a park such as Irving Park.

5. 

   Catch up on your reading. If you're more of a homebody and hate crowds, this is the perfect time to catch up on those library or bookstore reads that you don't get the opportunity to read during the workweek.

6. 

   Visit different souvenir shops (college campus bookstores and convenience stores like Walgreens are great for souvenirs) or retail stores, and check out the holiday sales.

7. 

   Taste different food at the Taste of Chicago and enjoy the crowd of 3.5 million people who will visit during the 2-week period (July 3 is the heaviest day). Foods include barbecued turkey legs, macaroni, French fries, vegetable tempura, grilled corn on the cob, fried rice, collard greens, rice and beans, shrimp, fish, burgers, pizza, fruit, jerk chicken, cheesecake, alligator, fried chicken, chocolate-covered strawberries, chocolate-covered bananas, brownies, banana splits and sundaes. The foods are from different cultures: Italian, Thai, Chinese, Mexican, African, Jamaican and American.

8. Visit the Shedd Aquarium, and see 25,951 different fish and animals.

9. Visit the Lakeview Music Fest on July 5 and 6. Various performers come each year.

10. Check out the African-Caribbean International Festival of Life, and see more than 100 performers come out, or participate in arts and crafts, games and kids' activities, Visit the exhibits and patronize the vendors spread out all over Washington Park.

Resources

• Navy Pier Boat Rides
• Taste of Chicago
• Navy Pier Fireworks
• Shedd Aquarium